{"id":16000,"date":"2024-08-06T05:12:25","date_gmt":"2024-08-06T05:12:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cissar.com\/?p=16000"},"modified":"2024-08-06T05:12:25","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T05:12:25","slug":"top-12-elderly-fraud-scams-of-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cissar.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/06\/top-12-elderly-fraud-scams-of-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 12 elderly fraud scams of 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Scammers use AI to clone Arizona woman’s voice in fake ransom call to her mom<\/a><\/h4>\n

Scottsdale resident Payton Bock and her mother, DeLynne, join “Fox & Friends First” to discuss the incident and broader concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Senior citizens are often targets for scams, and as scams are getting more sophisticated,\u00a0it’s getting easier to deceive even the most tech-savvy person. Elder fraud involves a variety of scams targeting seniors, from fake prizes to pleas for help from their “grandchildren,” resulting in an annual loss of $3 billion, according to the FBI<\/u><\/a>. Seniors are often targeted due to their good credit, financial security and trusting nature. Here are the top elderly fraud scams of the year:<\/p>\n

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GET SECURITY ALERTS, EXPERT TIPS – SIGN UP FOR KURT\u2019S NEWSLETTER – THE CYBERGUY REPORT HERE<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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A man using his phone to shop<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

1) Tech support or home repair scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In this scam, people pose as tech <\/u><\/a>support<\/u><\/a> or home repair professionals from reputable companies like Amazon, offering to fix non-existent issues. Seniors should be wary of unsolicited calls and independently verify the caller\u2019s identity. In some cases, they may even show up at your front door, telling you that they noticed your roof needs repair or something along those lines.<\/p>\n

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A man on his laptop<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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BEST ANTIVIRUS FOR MAC, PC, IPHONES AND ANDROIDS – CYBERGUY PICKS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

2) Relative phone scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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This scam is one of the worst ones<\/u><\/a>. Fraudsters claim to be a grandchild or close relative urgently needing financial help. The scammers will say something like their grandchild has been in an accident and needs money to help them get to the hospital or something along those lines.<\/p>\n

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If the senior catches on and realizes it’s a scam, the fraudster will say they have kidnapped their grandchild and won’t release them until the senior pays up. In most cases, it’s a scam. Before acting, always verify the story with other family members and try calling your grandchild. (This is a good excuse to encourage them to answer the phone more often.)<\/p>\n

HOW TO STOP ANNOYING ROBOCALLS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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A man using phone and laptop at the same time<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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5 INNOVATIONS TO HELP SENIORS LIVE BETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

3) Government impersonation scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is when scammers pretend to be officials<\/u><\/a> from agencies like the IRS, DEA or FBI and threaten legal action unless a payment is made. Scammers can also do this by phone spoofing<\/u><\/a>, making it so that when they call the person they are targeting, their name and number actually show up in the caller ID as one of these agencies. Remember, these agencies will never call to demand money, and most companies won’t, either.<\/p>\n

4) Sweepstakes or lottery scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Wouldn’t it be nice to find out you’ve just won the lottery? Well, chances are, the exciting news is actually a scam. The sweepstakes or lottery scam happens when seniors receive calls from a scammer claiming they’ve won a sweepstakes or lottery but must pay a fee to claim their prize. They’ll never ask you to pay money first if it’s an authentic sweepstakes.<\/p>\n

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A person holding lottery tickets<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

5) TV and radio scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Scammers place ads for fraudulent services on TV or radio, tricking seniors into calling and handing over money, whether for a certain product or service. Always research companies thoroughly before buying from them.<\/p>\n

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A woman on her phone<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

PREVENT PHONE SCAMS AGAINST THE ELDERLY<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

6) Geek Squad phishing scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In this particular scam, fraudsters send fake Geek Squad invoices<\/u><\/a> via email, prompting seniors to call a provided number. During the call, scammers steal personal information under the guise of resolving a fake issue<\/u><\/a>. Avoid clicking on suspicious links, and verify invoices through official company contacts.<\/p>\n

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DON’T FALL FOR THIS EMAIL SCAM THAT ALMOST COST AN ELDERLY WOMAN $25,000<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

7) Overpayment scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you’re one to balance your checkbook the “old-fashioned” way, then you may have a hard time falling for this scam. Here, they’ll trick victims into believing they were accidentally overpaid for an item, service, bill or subscription, convincing them to refund the fake overpayment. To do this, they’ll ask for your sensitive data, including your bank account information. Always verify such claims with your bank or the relevant company before taking any action.<\/p>\n

8) Unsubscribe email scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Similar to the above, emails in your inbox that claim to help you unsubscribe from services are often actually phishing attempts<\/u><\/a> to steal personal information. Sometimes, there will even be an “unsubscribe” link right in the email. Always use official websites to manage subscriptions and avoid clicking on unknown email links.<\/p>\n

9) Health insurance scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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When it’s that time of year again to enroll in your health insurance plan, be on the lookout for scammers that take advantage of this. They’ll call offering fake health insurance plans or services, pretending to be health insurance brokers or what have you, often requesting personal information to “see what you’re eligible for.” Verify any health insurance offer with your provider directly.<\/p>\n

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A man using his laptop and holding cash<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

10) Charity scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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It’s not uncommon for elderly people to be generous with their giving. But you don’t want to give too much or give it to a charity that’s not really a charity! Another tactic by fraudsters is to manipulate elders by soliciting donations for fake charities, especially after natural disasters. In this day and age, it’s not very common for these charities to call, but they could. Never give out your information or money right away. Thank them for their call, take the time to research an organization and make sure it is legitimate before deciding what to do.<\/p>\n

11) Romance scam<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Finally, scammers build fake romantic relationships online<\/u><\/a> to extract money from seniors. A senior who’s feeling lonely and wants to build a connection with someone may fall for this scam without realizing it, assuming the person is genuine. If they do ask for money, they justify it by feeling connected to the person until it’s too late. Though plenty of seniors find genuine love online, sometimes meeting lifelong partners, be cautious about sharing personal information or sending money to someone you’ve only met online. There could be ulterior motives.<\/p>\n

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A woman sitting on a bench and looking out at the sea<\/span> (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

12) Artificial intelligence scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Artificial intelligence (AI) scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and pose a significant threat to seniors. These scams use AI technology to create convincing fake audio, video or text messages that appear to come from trusted sources. Here are some key points about AI scams targeting the elderly:<\/p>\n